


Three drabbles and a furlough day

by furloughday



Category: Merlin (BBC)
Genre: Drabble, Gen, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-18
Updated: 2009-12-18
Packaged: 2017-10-04 14:28:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/31210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/furloughday/pseuds/furloughday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A selective arc of Merlin's time spent in Camelot, in tri-drabble form.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Three drabbles and a furlough day

_three scenes and a furlough day_

Day 2  
His panging temples are not the only indication that magic occurred in Camelot yesternight: Merlin is now saddled with a Prince. Residual operatic warbling aftershocks the young warlock's mind and he near slams a plate against that picnic bench of a breakfast table. Blue eyes flick up to his in challenge.  
A sudden sound behind. Merlin whirls, fearing daggers and Uther alike.  
Arthur simply drawls:  
"Ah, Marcus. I no longer require your services....Budget cuts, you see."  
The target of Arthur's bullying bows a retreat, ever the coward Arthur'd challenged him not to be, how Merlin became ensnared from the first.

 

Middling Day  
What Arthur needs is not a manservant, this much is clear; he needs a boy from Ealdor, with a strong will to manage this armor and a firm hand to keep him in check.  
"One cannot DRINK POISON, Sire. Not when one is destined to be King," Merlin informs him, fingers twining and fumbling, caught up in the straps of the dented hauberk. Arthur has just pwned the labyrinth.  
"Don'tgetshirtywithmemerlin." (Arthur's mutterings, through his shirt.) Quieter: "Heittäytyisinköhän seikkailuun?"1 Covered by Merlin's "LuckyIwasthere." Arthur's "Ihaven'tgotallday,MERLIN."  
Smiles wryly at Arthur's affected displeasure, quickened by a helpless fondness for what he cannot change.

Last Week  
As Gaius brushes at Merlin's face with expertise and a musty rag wetted by his own spittle, shite dislodges in clumps. Merlin reflects darkly how, given recent events, he is probably closer to the royal steeds than he ever will be Arthur.  
"Everything I do is for him, and he just thinks I'm an idiot."  
The physician considers him with patient eyes, attempts comfort by quoting Destiny and ancient inscriptions, but at Merlin's pout changes tactics: flicking an errant poo from his pupil's high cheekbone, he sighs,  
"Don't be ridiculous, Merlin -- Consider this a furlough day."  
The tethers tighten.

____________________________________________________________  
1 Arthur's mutter in Finnish, he is educated and mindful of word count both. _trans._ "What if I should throw myself into an adventure?"


End file.
